INSIDE THE TRASHIE X FASHION JOURNAL CLOTHING EXCHANGE
A Trashie clothing exchange is a thrifter’s utopia: bring along a few garments you’re happy to part with, and swap them for tokens at the event…
6 March 2024 | Words by Evie Dinkelmeyer
A Trashie clothing exchange is a thrifter’s utopia: bring along a few garments you’re happy to part with, and swap them for tokens at the event. Then, it’s a cashless shopping frenzy – you can swap your tokens for any of the clothing on the racks. I joined in on the fun at the Trashie x Fashion Journal clothing exchange last Saturday.
For Trashie co-founders and sisters Katie and Angela, the brand is a step towards a more circular fashion economy, where “micro trends and predatory fast fashion businesses really phase out.” They want to ensure that sustainability is prioritised over profit.
The sisters are combating overconsumption of both fast fashion and vintage clothing – at the event, you leave with the same amount of clothes you arrived with.
Katie, who came up with the idea for Trashie, had a light bulb moment when she overheard a group of people holding overflowing bags of op shop clothes, complaining about how expensive second hand shopping has become.
“I thought, there has to be a market [in swapping] ... otherwise we’re going to be overshopping from op shops, taking away from people who really need those clothes ... when people scour op shops and do all the resale stuff, sell them on Depop ... I find that really unethical.”
On their love for fashion, Katie shares that “growing up, we didn't have the money to go and buy new things, but Mum had this love for op shopping and I think that carried through onto us.” She now has a degree in Fashion Merchandising.
For Angela, second hand shopping is all about the “beauty in experiencing clothing as an adventure ... you can find your style yourself, not being fed fast fashion trends.”
There’s no doubt the demand for second hand fashion is growing, but Angela worries there are “holes in the industry ... they’re all growing with this business mindset, whereas Trashie’s [focus is on] sustainability and community.”
The Trashie event is filled with Melbournites of all ages browsing the racks, balancing drinks, coat hangers and clothes in their hands, to the backdrop of live DJ Sickpig. It has a real community feel. Katie says “I always love when you see the swappers interacting with each other being like, Oh My God, that looks amazing on you!’”
Moving forward, the sisters dream of opening up a Trashie concept or consignment store – like the clothing exchange event, but permanently in action. It’s definitely one to look out for.
“I was at a vintage shop recently and the girl that works there ... [admitted] ‘a lot of this is from Shein and we just take the tags off, and mark it up like $100’ ... I think it defeats the whole purpose.”
FASHION TALKS: CONVERSATIONS ACROSS CULTURE, PRESENTED BY MUSEUMS VICTORIA
Hosted by writer and Culture Club podcast co-host, Maggie Zhou, this panel talk includes discussion…
6 March 2024 | Words by Evie Dinkelmeyer
Hosted by writer and Culture Club podcast co-host, Maggie Zhou, this panel talk includes discussion between First Nations designer, Paul McCann; Creative Projects Manager at Social Studio, Bonnie Mooney; Women's Community Advisory Group representative, Shegofa Nasari, and Inclusion Thought Leader, Winitha Bonney.
Addressing her audience in the leafy Treetops room of the Melbourne Museum, host Maggie Zhou opens the discussion with this: “multiculturality is one thing, but being part of a society that honours, respects and operates in tandem with multicultural communities is something else entirely.”
What authentic inclusion looks like
For Bonnie, it means “having the community lead the project”, where the organisation is “simply there to help with the structures and communication, and to show the people involved just how talented they are.”
The Social Studio does this by collaborating with their artists from the very beginning of a collection. Bonnie explains “we started with asking [the Afghani women we were working with], tell us what spring and summer in Afghanistan is like. And through these stories, we discovered these beautiful ideas that sparked our designs.”
Bonnie credits Shegofa, who is the Social Studio’s bicultural worker and translator: “without [her], we couldn’t communicate.” For Shegova, it’s important to help her own community: “I can see my help and my presence ... helps them get over certain challenges.”
Winitha adds that collaborations need to be looked at with kindness. She says you must ask yourself, “What is the kind thing to do at this moment? And sometimes, it’s to decide not to go down the path of a collaboration.”
She suggests that “if you’re a brand, and you were asked ... about that culture, or the ancestry of that person, would you be able to answer on the spot? Without your media team prepping that answer for you? ... If you are unable to do that, then it means you need to spend a bit more time [learning] before you start working with that artist.”
When cross cultural collaboration goes wrong
Winitha draws on her two decades of experience in the business to call out brands who are too focussed on the commercial angle of the partnership. “If they are doing very little work or support out in the community, or they don’t even have a Reconciliation Action Plan ... that’s a really big red flag.”
She adds that “sustainability is part of our responsibility to care for country”, so brands need to have strategies in place around that too.
Winitha notes that as brands and as humans, we are always growing. “When we’re designing something, and there is [a cultural sensitivity] we’re not aware of... when people point that out to us, they’re helping us step into our integrity.”
“Speaking up is an act of service, to help us create better versions of ourselves.” Essentially, being ‘cancelled’ is an opportunity to learn.
“From my Indigenous perspective, we have only been involved in the fashion industry, and taken seriously, for probably the last four years. A lot of us don’t have the
infrastructure behind us, the money, the sewing machines...so it’s important that the brand is providing that support to the artist.”
How to navigate the partnership
Bonnie has a grateful perspective: the skills that Afghani women have provided to the Social Studio are “not ... easily found in Australia anymore. They are offering them to us, and we are so privileged to welcome them.” In return, she is “helping to document and record their work, and retain it within the cultural craft landscape.”
Winitha says the best course of action is “respecting how [the artist] wants to create” and co-designing from the very beginning.
Paul corroborates: “you need to let me do my thing.”
Key advice from our panellists
Paul: Do your homework, so you really know who you’re coming into contact with. Bonnie: Consider that there may be barriers that you may not have expected. You need to have an understanding of the background of the culture you’re collaborating with. “There are a lot of things we do every day without thinking that can be huge challenges to others.”
Shegofa: Sometimes you need to know when to push your community to be independent – she shares a story: “The group I was working with, they’re new to the country and had never caught public transport by themselves before. Some of them were not able to touch on their Myki, or check the bus schedule ... [I realised] that when I am with them ... they won’t take a step themselves. I told them once I couldn’t come because I had a really important meeting. ... It was challenging, they got lost ... but after a few weeks, they were telling me ‘we will come by ourselves’. I’m really grateful.”
Winitha: True leadership is being of service to others.
“OWN YOUR POWER” - DRESS FOR YOURSELF THIS FESTIVAL
Many experienced the pre-going-out ritual from a young age, of pulling piece on and off, a possible breakdown one button-catch away…
28 February 2024 | Words by India Curtain
As the kick off for Australia's largest consumer fashion event grows closer, so does the time where one stands in front of an open wardrobe in disarray. While the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival is about discovering new styles on the runway, it also acts as an opportunity to celebrate one’s own fashion identity.
Many experienced the pre-going-out ritual from a young age, of pulling piece on and off, a possible breakdown one button-catch away. “It's not a fashion show,” says an exasperated parent through the crack in the bedroom door. For those familiar, it’s time to shine.
Previous Festival attendees can attest to the fact that, while so much inspiration comes from the plentiful showcases that the featured brands present, it also comes from the atmosphere that eclipses Melbourne during this time. The truth is, PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival is a space for people to experiment with styles, textures and layers, but also to don their favourite pieces, and feel their most comfortable self.
However, the lead-up can still sometimes cause the classic wardrobe anxiety that so many have felt before; What the heck do I wear?
To settle the first-timer nerves, PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival have spoken to some seasoned veterans of fashion events about their best practices when experiencing a blank stare at one’s closet.
Q: What can I expect when visiting Melbourne Fashion Festival?
According to Festival Acting Program Manager, Thea Basiliou, attendees should come ready for a good time. There are plenty of free admission and ticketed options available throughout the week.
“Everyone is also welcome to come and visit our Fashion Forecourt supported by City of Melbourne to soak up the energy” she says. “There really is something for everyone!”
Whether it’s a runway show, workshop, showcase or exhibition, expect to be met with a lively crowd. PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival is a night filled with music, stalls, freebies and plenty of insta opportunities. Fashion and Celebrity stylist and brand-owner Lana Wilkinson loves the way that Melbourne ‘comes alive’ during the festival weeks.
“It’s such a busy time but it’s so worth it... I’m really excited to be a part of it,” she says.
Journalist, podcaster and content creator Maggie Zhou has been attending the festival since 2017, where she started as a volunteer. She adores the buzz and excitement of the week.
“You always leave feeling inspired and reinvigorated (despite the sore feet),” she says.
Each year, March in Melbourne can be temperamental in weather, but always spilling with energy. Riding on the back of the summer months, it’s common to see the previous season’s trends flow into the Festival style. Lana notes that colour are back in a big way, and advises to have bold, daring moments.
Q: How do I dress for the runway shows?
As a stylist, Lana has the task of settling the odd fashion crisis, and says her most crucial piece of advice is that fashion is meant to be fun. She believes in the importance of “owning your power” through styling confidently and fearlessly.
“You have to feel and look like your best version, Embrace the parts of yourself that you love and highlight them.”
Maggie agrees that the real fun comes from getting dressed up and pushing your fashion sensibilities. She tells festival first-timers “not to get sucked into what you think you should wear, and stay true to your personal style.”
Whether or not you choose to align with the style of the runway show you attend, is up to you. A streetwear show like Block Party allows you to experiment with your edgier side, while Suit Up Runway (supported by Network 10 and Esquire) might offer the opportunity to dust off that tailored-paint-blazer combo you’ve been dying to wear. It’s easy to stress about looking the part, but the reality is, everyone is coming and going from one place or another, and you’ll fit in regardless.
Lana emphasises the way accessories, hair and makeup can change the impact of an outfit. It’s helpful to take in every element, rather than just clothes, to put together something you feel good in. As the owner of Lana Wilkinson shoes, the stylist will sometimes build a look from the ground-up. A core piece such as a handbag or statement necklace could also be a fun starting point to experiment with styling oneself.
“More is more, there’s no such thing as being over-styled. Just have fun!” She says. She loves to think outside the box, styling a piece in a complete different direction to its mannequin look.
Q: Do I need to buy something new?
Short answer: No!
Queen of the train station fit check, Maggie loves to mix and match a wardrobe staple with a core piece or accessory. “It’s more interesting when people wear pieces they already own from their wardrobe,” she says. “Rather than buying entirely new outfits.”
Lana agrees, stating that “rewear is king.” The time going through one’s wardrobe and rediscovering pieces can be underrated, and sometimes all it needs is a refreshed accessory to do it justice again.
On the other hand, many aspects of this years Festival seeks to showcase the beauty of vintage and pre-owened fashion, such as the Trashie x FJ Clothing Exchange, the Swap and Style event, the Love It Longer Johnston Collection Discussion and the Upcycle Couture Soirée. Explore your own signature style in a sustainable fit and practice your “thanks, it’s vintage” response.
It’s important to treat yourself for a special occasion, and Program Manager Thea is excited about sourcing pieces from emerging local labels that she can pair with her wardrobe staples for this years Festival.
Q: What’s a non-negotiable to bring to a PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival event?
Maggie’s response was simple; “a charged phone and confidence!”
Lana swears by the use of jewellery and accessories to complete an outfit, but also to help you feel confident.
“Whether its a great heel so you walk taller, a great bag that makes you feel powerful or a great pair of earrings to feel like you’ve completely styled up, accessories are your armour,” she says.
ALK BY LE’KAL BY ALIN LE’KAL: IT’S IN THE DETAILS
Walking into the South Yarra showroom is like entering an underwater Degas painting where the ballerinas are the ghosts of bridal parties past…
28 February 2024 | Words by Grace Biber
Walking into the South Yarra showroom is like entering an underwater Degas painting where the ballerinas are the ghosts of bridal parties past, waltzing by in medleys of frothy tulle and ivory silk.
Full trains explode from racks, peppered with delicate lacework and beading. Mermaid dresses hang amongst gowns sporting detachable skirts of a shining fabric that pays no mind to the laws of physics. A shock of lace in front of a mesh outline creates, inexplicably, the properties of a mini dress. Amidst the ethereal chaos emerges one of Melbourne’s most beloved bridal designers, ALK By Le’Kal by ALIN LE'KAL.
Despite boasting a star-studded clientele, Alin remains humble to the medium he has risen to prominence in. “It’s an honour that my skills have been sought out for the bridal grown, which is arguably the most culturally significant piece you will ever wear.”
Nowadays there are many options for brides to purchase off-the-rack, yet the haute couture wedding dresses adorning the walls of the showroom are designed with intent; to create a lasting memory of the day and be passed down for generations.
Already famed as the creator of the Million Dollar Dress, a 150kg tour de force entirely covered in Swarovski crystals and held up by a cast-iron petticoat, created for Paris Haute Couture Week. While the dress never made it to Paris due to logistical issues, conventions of its design – namely, the glittering, armour-like bodice and handbeading, recalling a Joan of Arc-esque style – are well represented in his following collections, including his Ready To Wear that encapsulates both eveningwear and party dresses.
Incorporating intricately bodices with powerful silhouettes, the dresses explore the areas between sweet and sexy, combining both to create a uniform of elegant glamour. Alin’s signature hand-beading style shines in a minidress with diaphanous ruffled accents, and a lightly feathered ‘naked’ dress of a delicate gold.
Drawing inspiration from Melbourne’s character as a city, especially in the past few years— “Melbourne has been very stereotypically Melbourne, very timid, very black, dark tones”—but adding options for colours and textures, ALKbyLeKal is designed without motive or inspiration, but rather for who is going to be wearing his pieces. “You can base a person’s character on what they’re wearing.”
ALKbyLekal was conceived during Covid, when brides began purchasing pieces for baby showers, engagement parties and birthdays. Being unable to make dresses in-store, he launched the online shop.
While the inception for a bridal gown begins with a one-on-one conversation and personal relationship with the designer, Alin discusses his Ready To Wear with the same intimacy and passion as he discusses his individual designs.
“Eveningwear trends have become extremely personal, especially in Melbourne,” Alin explains, surrounded by his bejewelled and feathery creations. When speaking about the Ready To Wear collection designed for PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival, he is equally specific about his vision. “It’s for the fashionista who enjoys a night out, who has events they’re attending… everything depends on the wearer of the garment.”
Mass market appeal and trends are additional considerations, but they take a back seat. Some pieces created at the beginning of Covid are still selling, comfortably so. The ethos behind each dress is to create something beautiful that doesn’t go out of date or fall out of fashion.
And of course, the piece de resistance of any party girl’s wardrobe, the timeless sparkly mini, is well represented in many different forms across all of Le Kal’s collections.
Leaving the showroom is dropping out of a world of ethereal, bespoke artistry and back into a reality where weddings are once in a lifetime events—but even if you’re not a bride taking away a haute couture gown, you can still find some of the magic in ALKbyLeKal.
R.SPORT: STYLE FOR THE UNSERIOUS SPORTSPERSON
Created for “dabblers” in sports ranging from soccer to trail running, R.Sport is the brainchild of ecommerce and marketing specialist Anthony Puliatti, aged 30…
28 February 2024 | Words by India Curtain
In the expansive world of sportswear brands, there are some designed for performance athletes, and others for those who simply enjoy their morning walk toward an iced latte. And then there’s R.Sport, who have their own space in between.
Created for “dabblers” in sports ranging from soccer to trail running, R.Sport is the brainchild of ecommerce and marketing specialist Anthony Puliatti, aged 30. Now co-led with former AFL player Jasper Pittard, this relatively new kid in the streetwear game is scoring goals (sorry) among recreational and performance athletes alike.
Pittard, 32, who played 158 games for Port Adelaide and North Melbourne, explains: “It's for people who just like to be active and involved in a community as a team. It’s not about being competitive, it's about encouraging exercise and being social.”
The part fashion label, part performance brand, which will showcase in the Block Party Runway x Visit Melbourne at the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival, has steadily built a name for itself in the city’s hospitality and music industries, where Puliatti and Pittard have created custom jerseys for community sports teams and groups that love a friendly soccer match in their spare time.
The brand’s almost “anti-athleisure” aesthetic took shape in 2020 with the signature soccer jersey, and has now expanded to running, biking and golf. On the back of two world cups, R.Sport’s guernsey’s have been well received by soccer fans (and festival goers). The pair hope to use the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival runway to reach a wider audience, and establish themselves in both the sporting and fashion industries.
“We’re using it as a bit of a tester for the new products, to see what the reactions like” says Pittard
Despite being the pair’s side-hustle – they each have other full-time jobs; Puliatti as an ecommerce specialist at furniture business Fenton & Fenton, and Pittard co-leads not-for-profit organisation Footy for Climate.
R.Sport is run with the same passion and energy as a full-time endeavour. Puliatti reflects on how their distinct visions pair together. “I have a bit more pared back and classic style, where Jasper’s is almost eccentric and flamboyant,” he says.
R. Sport’s current collection features a range of vibrant pieces, including “tiramisu-coloured” tracksuit pants, mesh caps, signature boxy logo tees, a bright green running shirt and an array of intergalactic, checked or striped soccer jerseys. Puliatti explains that material is an important part of the way they refined each drop.
“The fit and material are influenced by the ‘90s, early 2000s kits that were baggier and a bit breathier, rather than the modern performance kit that’s tight fitting,” he says.
The brand’s other sporting pieces such as golf and track apparel are influenced by the style of Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan in their early careers.
Parts of R. Sport’s aesthetic have evolved from Puliatti’s earlier business, named kvRkr.Sport, which designed hi-vis sportswear for cyclists. Some “experimental” pieces are still made available on their site, helping document the brand’s growth since launching.
Meanwhile, Pittard balances his product design at R.Sport with his own streetwear brand, WOAT, which he set up after the end of his football career in 2020.
The WOAT and R.Sport jersey collaboration
The pair met through the futsal community, where the opportunity arose to collaborate on some merch for Fitzroy bar Poodle, and the R. Sport duo was born (And yes, they still play futsal every Wednesday, donning their own designs, of course).
Ahead of the runway, they’ve teased some tennis inspired garments, track-skirts and an outfit inspired by the classic sports coach on game day. Beyond the show, the 2024 dream is to design team merchandise for local football clubs in the area, as well as expanding into their own space (they’re currently residing in an office above the Collingwood cafe, Into Coffee). Puliatti and Pittard hope to grow their community with the R. Conversations podcast and, of course, they’re always keen to grab new recruits for R.Sport Futsal Club teams.
R. Sport’s pieces are available on their website, unless specified to purchase through a collaborator.